1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to protective equipment for boats and watercraft and more particularly, to a bow protector for cushioning and protecting the slanted or angled bow and stem of watercraft such as sailboats from damage due to impact with docks, watercraft and other objects. The bow protector of this invention is characterized by a shaped, deformable nose portion provided with rearwardly extending arms which are designed to engage the anterior surfaces of the watercraft bow. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the nose and arms are integrally formed by extrusion or injection molding techniques and are provided with one or more longitudinally disposed impact slots which are designed to at least partially dissipate the forces generated when the bow protector strikes a relatively unyielding structure such as a dock. The bow protector is suspended against the bow of a watercraft by means of elastic starboard and port guy lines which are attached to a cleat mounted on the foredeck of the watercraft. This suspension technique, coupled with the resilient design of the bow protector, facilitates a dual means of dissipating shock resulting from impact between the bow protector and a dock or other object. This impact force is dissipated by initially elastically deforming the nose portion of the bow protector and subsequently causing the bow of the boat to move upwardly or downwardly with respect to the bow protector responsive to impact.
One of the problems realized in the docking of watercraft and boats such as sailboats, is that of easing the watercraft into the dock area without striking the dock and damaging the bow of the boat. This problem is intensified under circumstances where sailboats are docked under conditions of heavy wind, since it is very difficult to control the speed of a sailboat and the bow frequently strikes the dock, sometimes sustaining damage. Loss of control can also be realized when auxiliary outboard or inboard motors, which are used to aid in maneuvering sailboats at low speeds, suddenly stop operating. Since most sailboats are constructed of fiberglass, the bows are easily scratched and damaged by collision with a dock or another watercraft and unless the sailboat is fitted with a motor, docking without damaging the bow is sometimes extremely difficult. In addition to the problem of docking boats such as sailboats, the anterior areas of the slanted bows of these boats are frequently scratched or damaged due to scraping against a dock or another watercraft responsive to wave action. This scraping action sometimes occurs while a boat is moored in a slip or tied to a dock and may be intensified by one or more loose or broken ties.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of bumpers, fenders and bow protective devices for watercraft are known in the art. An early "Fender for Vessels" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 461,759, to J. T. C. Koch. This device is characterized by one or more rigid frames fixedly secured to the bow of a boat and provided with rubber cushion members, in order to absorb impact between the boat and another object such as a boat or dock. U.S. Pat. No. 708,476, dated Sept. 2, 1902, to W. H. Higgins, discloses another protective device, styled "Fender for Boats". The Higgins fender includes an upwardly curled shock absorbing device which is composed of rawhide cut into a suitable form and stuffed with a material such as "curled hair". The device folds around the bow and stem of the boat to provide a shock absorbing function and is fixed to the bow to prevent relative movement of the bow with respect to the fender, or vice-versa. A "Bumper" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,049,261, dated Dec. 31, 1912, to F. Pelissier. The bumper device detailed in this patent includes three cylindrically-shaped shock absorbing bumpers which are ganged together in a triangular configuration on the bow of a boat and are fixedly secured in place by means of chains. U.S. Pat. No. 1,130,809, dated Mar. 9, 1915, to C. Gerber, discloses a "Ship Bow Shield and Shock Absorber". The disclosed shock absorber is characterized by a V-shaped metal shield spaced from the bow of a ship, with buffer bars slidably received in the bow of the ship and pivotally attached to the V-shaped shield. Spiral springs are carried by the buffer bars to normally maintain a space between the shield and the bow of the ship and to facilitate absorption of shock when the ship strikes an object such as a dock or another ship. U.S. Pat. No. 1,361,902, dated Dec. 14, 1920, to L. Porteous, discloses a "Bumper for Boats", which includes a sausage-shaped shock absorbing device provided with an air chamber and designed to keep the boat from rubbing against the walls of docks and other structures to which the boat may be moored. U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,399, dated Nov. 13, 1962, to F. B. Schuyler, discloses a "Bow Bumper for Tugs and Similar Boats". The bow bumper detailed in this patent is characterized by a V-shaped guard which is constructed of a resilient material such as rubber and engages the bow of a boat in fixed relationship, in order to prevent damage to the bow upon contact with a dock or another boat. The bow bumper is fixedly secured in place to prohibit relative movement between the bumper and the boat. A similar bumper device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,981,182, dated Nov. 20, 1934, to C. T. Lyons. The "Marine Fender" detailed in this patent includes a resilient front block portion with rearwardly extending side block panels for fitting to the bow of a boat in fixed relationship, in order to prevent damage to the bow upon contact with a dock, another boat or any other object. Another "Marine Fender" is disclosed is U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,320, dated July 19, 1966, to F. O. Leonard. The marine fender of this invention is characterized by a resilient cushioning member having a hollow interior and disposed on the bow of a boat, in order to cushion the bow upon impact with another object. The dock fender is secured to the bow in fixed relationship by one or more unitary brackets and chains. A "Ship's Fender" is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,781,403, dated Nov. 11, 1930, to C. T. Lyons. This device is characterized by multiple disks cut from rubber tires, with clamping rods passed through the disks to form a fender section and a holding member extending through a series of these sections to define a fender. The device is attached to the bow of a boat in fixed relationship by means of three anchor chains. U.S. Pat. No. 1,852,240, dated Apr. 5, 1932, to M. Hill, discloses another "Ship's Fender", which wraps around the bow of a boat and is secured in fixed position by turnbuckles and a harness. The ship's fender includes a first resilient section and a second resilient, but durable lining section which is wear-resistant and is sandwiched between the first resilience section and the bow of the boat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,022, dated Sept. 25, 1962, to V. P. Vallquist and U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,026, dated Nov. 30, 1965, to A. W. Lichti, both disclose boat beaching aprons and hull protectors for protecting the bow and bottom area of a boat when the boat is beached. A similar protective device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,701, dated Sept. 6, 1966, to Jay Kubas, which device is designed to stabilize a watercraft and minimize pitching and wave shock. Other fender structures for boats and docks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,269, dated July 15, 1969, to D. L. Dean; U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,792, dated May 19, 1981, to Kimura; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,055, dated July 7, 1981, to Yamaguchi, et al.
Immovable, fixed boat fenders and shock-absorbing devices are incapable of efficiently, inexpensively, and reliably absorbing the shock of collision under a wide variety of circumstances and impact loads to minimize hull damage. These fixtures are also usually esthetically displeasing and are difficult to install, maintain and remove from a boat. The September 1984 issue of the Anchor Marine catalog, issued by Anchor Marine Products, Essex, England, discloses "Bow Fenders" which are generally rounded and triangular-shaped, with openings for mounting the fender on a boat. These fenders are designed for spot impact of apparent low intensity and do not have the grooved capability of sliding to dissipate impact forces by directing the forces upwardly or downwardly. Nor do these fenders protect a substantial portion of the bow or sides of a boat hull. These fenders are not attached to the boat by elastic cords and are therefore relatively stationary at the point of attachment. There are also no upper and lower edges that are substantially parallel to the deck and waterline.
It is an object of this invention to provide a bow protection device which is capable of performing a primary shock absorbing function by deforming to an elastic limit determined by the selected material of construction and is suspended on the slanted or angled bow of a boat in such a manner as to facilitate a secondary shock absorption function which utilizes the weight of the boat as the bow moves upward with respect to the bow protector device and further dissipates shock.
Another object of this invention to provide a new and improved resilient, impact-cushioning bow protector for watercraft, which bow protector is characterized by a deformable, shock-absorbing nose portion having rearwardly extending arms for engaging the anterior surfaces of the bow of a boat and is suspended on the bow by means of elastic guy lines, in order to facilitate relative movement between the boat and the bow protector for additional shock relief.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved light-weight bow protector for slidable suspension on a watercraft such as sailboat, which bow protector is characterized by a resilient, V-shaped cap member having an elastically deformable nose portion and rearwardly extending arms for engaging and conforming to the anterior surfaces of the bow, with at least one impact slot provided in the nose portion of the bow protector for absorbing at least a portion of the shock of impact with a dock or other object.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved bow protector for boats and for sailboats having slanted or angled bows in particular, which bow protector is characterized by an extruded or molded rubber or plastic fender cap having a resilient, deformable nose portion and rearwardly extending arms integrally formed with the nose portion, the arms being adapted to engage the anterior surfaces of the bow of the sailboat, wherein the bow protector is suspended from the deck of the sailboat by elastic guy lines to facilitate shock-reducing, relative movement between the bow of the sailboat and the bow protector.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved bow protector for suspension on the bow of sailboats and other watercraft having an angled or slanted bow, which bow protector includes a resilient rubber or plastic fender characterized by a deformable nose portion provided with at least one impact slot therein and rearwardly extending arms for engaging and conforming to the anterior surfaces of the bow. Elastic starboard and port guy lines operate to suspend the bow protector against the bow of the watercraft, in order to facilitate relative movement between the bow protector and the watercraft to help reduce the shock of impact with a dock or other object.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a generally V-shaped sailboat bow protection device which is shaped from a resilient, elastically deformable material and is provided with a nose portion having multiple impact slots extending therethrough and openings for accommodating elastic guy lines which extend from the boat deck to suspend the bow protection device on the bow of the boat. A sleeve which can be fabricated of canvas or other suitable material is positioned between the bow protection device and the bow of the sailboat to facilitate relative movement between the bow and the bow protection device as a secondary shock absorption expedient.